Don't Fear the Reaper
Summer of 84 and I get turned on to the Grateful Dead, living, laughing , working in the NJ 'Y' Kitchen.
I started the summer listening to Ronnie James Dio and wearing ridiculously tight jeans.
But ended up going to see JGB in a small college gym and nothing would ever be the same for me musically and in so many other areas of my life.
But I digress, First Dead I remember was studio Working Man's and American Beauty. I really didn't have much reference for the Dead except to see the Grateful Dead Movie as part of the Midnight Movie series at the Waverly in N.Y.C.
Also my surfer buddy getting off the school bus in West Palm Beach to steal away to a show in 1982. (That blew my mind)
So the thing I liked about the band was their lyrics were way deeper
than anything I was listening to at the time.
I guess the thing that particularly struck me about the GD was all the references to life and living and death and dying in a way I had never really contemplated.
I can remember hearing Box of Rain and being blown away.
"Just a Box of Rain, A ribbon for your hair
Such a long time to be gone, and a short time to be there"
The Dead awakened in me my Jewish roots. My awe and reverence for the Almighty. It would take a few more years until I would come to see Jesus as Messiah.
The Bible says we are all the children of Adam & Eve.
and in the Wake of the Flood all coming from Noah's loins
How odd the Italian American Catholic boy believing
upon the 👑King of Israel for salvation.
Coming to know that the only transgression that was unpardonable
was unbelief.
Does GOD look down on the boys in the bar room?
YES!
Show Review:
The missing songs to start 1st set really hurt the flow of things here.
also PITB is missing part of the jam and the reprise.
prime time jam missing: Truckin> He's Gone. Sugar Magnolia
So I give this recording a 4 for being incomplete in comparison to the rest of the shows from this period. and even the more complete copy of this show
Click
1) Dead list Project (info on show, recordings available)
2) see other copies (all copies available)
The 'see other copies' is often good way to find the latest update on a show. Sometimes there are partial sets that put together will give you the entire show.
Phil's singing great!. 😇 his sweet baritone vocals .
How cool hearing DEAL in this slot early Second Set.
(Jerry brings it several times in that location during 72)
PROMISED- Weir really steps-up with Pig sidelined.
Almost matching Garcia song for song, night in, night out
Promised Land-Not as jammy as it would get in later years
but all those Chuck Berry tunes had such movement & shimmy
Another early Stella, pindrop time! hushed awe and amazement,
Garcia feeling comfortable enough to play it mid 2nd set.
Good recording for hearing Bill interact especially in the tight jam parts hiding in a mostly ultra laid back ballad song.
Yellow Dog-Part of what made this humorous was PIG being joker to Bob's straight man routine. (So to me this is kinda bittersweet)
Pretty good version with tuning jam on this long winded story.
A big fan of the Half-Step one of those songs with a timeless quality.
(Kinda wish Donna was out there adding roses and sunshine.)
Again digging on Phil's backing vocals.
Oh cool---- she is going across the Rio Grande
Musically this is chaotic but the vocals are all in.
Me & Bobby- A natural Dead tune.
Ramble on Rose-pretty jazzed up version of a tune that is a little out of its element so late in the night but this is a tight version especially lyric delivery by Jerry.
Morning Dew- Garcia jams it nicely to a climax.
UJB- So distinctive I could call this at the first hint from Jerry.
We will see ya later, right after this next one'-weir
One More Saturday Night!!!
Bob leaves it all out there for the crowd.
(and yes indeed this was a Saturday Night) -Dead List Project

This Stella Blue is an absolute pearl! I've probably read a 100 reviews where someone crows about a great stella but this one really stands out to me. I'm amazed no one has commented. It's got a little more spring to its step than later versions but its got all the Jerry soul and sterling leads you could ask for. Just a heads up for the treasure hunters. Any seconds?
( I just heard 7/18/76 recently and that stella is also very nice)
In fact...the more I listen the more I think this is a pretty underrated show. I'm sure it's over-looked due to the lack of much deep psychedelia (although the Playin gets pretty shimmy-shimmy before a harsh cut...why wasn't I warned). It almost seems like two first sets to me. But if you can survive without a Dark Star, this has a lot of classics played with panache (BTWind, RR Blues,Cumberland, BEW, Miss 1/2 step, and the Dew all stood out to me among others. If you love the smaller songs, check this one out...you might find some pleasant surprises

had this one for a long time, levels were LOW and it was waaaaaay hissy. This is CLEAN and lovely! Probably Bobby's best rendition of the "Yellow Dog", with Keith and Jerry noodling "Chopsticks" behind him. The Big RxR has already been commented on - it IS a smoker. What always stood out for me on this one was the "B.T. Wind" - the finale is amazing, with Bobby belting it all out and Jerry hitting peak after peak along the ridge... The third Half-Step and it's already ironed out. Yeah - get this one. 5 for sound, 5 for the better songs, 4 for the rest - still averages out to 5!!

The sound quality is better than the show. Nothing really spectacular. It gets a 3 of 5.

This is one of my all-time favourite shows. The boyz are kicking, and this sbd is pretty darned good - all the more so for a recording 34 years old! Jerry really gets into it during RR Blues. For me, this is their best ever RR Blues! Must have been a fun nite!
Thanks to St Alan for allowing me to snag this show!

This seems to have an unnatural treble boost. Sounds shrill and harsh. Content-wise there's not much here for those of us who hope for the unexpected.

Great first set. Fantastic and very clear sounding SBD for 1972, perhaps the best. Just pretend the concert starts at Bird Song because none of the previous songs are available. The first 5 songs are simply beautiful performances. This was one of those rare concerts where the first set was superior to the 2nd set... though will make that claim without having heard the missing intro. Got a little out of tune during Cumberland Blues... but they straightened that out quick. PITB ends abruptly, however, in mid-song which is too bad... was starting to sound sooo deep... then something weird happens to the sound during a sizzling china cat, and the concert goes kinda flat to my ears, and the audio deteriorates a little. Garcia's beautiful melodic guitar solos in Mississippi half step are AWESOME but they made me laugh when they tried to send vocals across the Rio Grandeee-Ohh without a life perserver... I really like this concert, but after Mississippi Half Step you can skip the rest of it, frankly... still worth 5 Stars for the fabulous sound alone and for the first set... Hope you have found this SBD by now... it is a historical relic! Weir tells a weird story too... 7-22-72 is like an archaeological dig... some fragments are missing.

This show is plain ass-kickin' folkz. Unbelievable that is not one of the 72's getting peak "buzz". Sound quality is decadent. Not many shows from any year you choose are forged with this measure of solid purpose, textured improv. and lazer tact. If this one does'nt ring yer bell...

Bertha, Me & My Uncle, You Win Again, Jack Straw are all missing before Bird Song. that being said, the quality of this recording is very good(some levels going up and down) and the playing is solid by '72 standards. I won't download it because of the missing songs, it will bug me forever but that shouldn't deter others from getting this show. its very good!

good sound quality!!!!! a must download